Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
FRANK LESLIE’S NEW YORK
JOURNAL. 59
living individuals is, in a literary sense, no lesg
than a falsehood. It was a legal maxim that no
man could have an heir’ whilst he was living;
neither, we think, is any man’s life complete until
his death, nor should his statue be set up in the
highway for himself to gaze on. The announce-
ment of those living lives, seems to us just as pre-
posterous as would the idea of exhibiting the skel-
eton of a man in an anatomical museum, whilst the
subject was living and walking in the flesh among
his fellows.
We quarrel only with the principle, and without
any reference to the merits or demerits of the works
in question. In a wholy different department, we
have from that persevering traveller, and happy
writer, Bayard Taylor, «¢'The ° e Sara-
cens.” The work comes opportunely, and will
doubtless attain a large circulation.
We regret at this festive season, that we see noth-
ing new from the really high priests of literatute
in America. Where! oh, where! is Washington
Irving, Hawthorne, Longfellow, Bryant, Bancroft,
Prescott, and their fellows? When are we to hear
from them again?
In the dramatic world there have -been many
novelties of late. ** No dearth of bards can be com-
plained of now.” The Metropolitan Theatre seems
to have superceded the old Broadway house in the
patronage of the legitimate drama. Several new
pieces have been produced, with various success,
since the advent of Mr. Eddy’s management. © Fol-
lowing shortly after Mr. Young’s adaptaticn of
Victor Hugo’s Lucretia, came a new drama, en-
titled, «The Finished Picture.” It had a very
moderate success. Later again, the melo-dramatic
spectacle of «Schamyl,” another adaptation from
the French, has followed, and held the stage with
tolerably fair success for several nights. Mr. An-
derson has played at this house his general role o
first class pieces, and took the part of Schamy/, in the
spectacle of that name. e closed with Claude
Melnotte, and could easily have made a happier se-
lection.
At the Broadway Miss Davenport has drawn
fair houses. ‘Masks and Faces,” «Midsummer
Night’s Dream,” and a variety of smart Farces, eked
out the earlier part of the month, until the return of
the «Pyne and Harrison” English Opera Com-
pany. ‘This Company has afforded sincere gratifi-
cation. They havere-produced several of the most
popular English Operas, and added Gay’s, ever gay
work, the * Beggar’s Opera.’”’ For Christmas week
they have brought out the Enchantress” with great
eclat. M’dlle Zoe, an accomplished danseuse, has
formed another very popular attraction here.
At Niblo’s, the English Opera Company, com-
posed of M’lle Nau, Messrs. St. Albyn, Horncastle,
and Irving, has played the best English Operas
with moderate success. M’dlle Nau’s, Amina, in
*sThe Sonambulist,” has been much admired.
The Grisi and Mario Italian Opera Company
have been struggling against bad weather, « Hard
Times,”- thin houses, and hoarse voices, at the
Grand. Temple of «upper tendom,” -yclept the
“Acedemy of Music,’ in Fourteenth street. The
splendid house itself has proved a great attraction
to many of the opera goers; the grand dresses of
the prima dona and prima tenore have feasted the
eyes of many more; and the unquestionably splen-
did music, with the « Sweet Voices” of the accom-
plished performers, have afforded exquisite delight
to’ the initiated few who were capable of appreci-
ating the true beauties of « Grand Opera.” It can-
not be questioned that the Scenery alone at the
«Academy ”’ would well repay the visit to such per-
sons as could afford the expenditure.
At Wallack’s elegant little theatre two new come-
' dies have been preduced with success this month.
Both adaptations from French stories—the first by
Mr. Lester, with the numerical title, «2 to 1.”
With such odds in it’s favor, in the figures alone, it
is no wonder it should succeed. ‘The dialogue is
smart, and Mr. Lester being so good a performer,
can afford to be considered something of a dramatic
writer. We consider it a great condescension when
a popular actor deigns to woo the dramatic muse in
America. The other piece was “immersed” in
the euphonious and ambigious title of «A Gentle-
man from Ireland.’ It required considerable courage
in the face of the «Know Nothing’’ sense of the
country, for the author to presume upon the exist-
ence of such a rara avis as a gentleman from the
“Gim of the Say.”? We do not doubt that curiosity
alone led many persons to see the piece. IHowever,
notwithstanding it's dangerous name, the play
has proved a considerable success. The author is
Mr. Fitzjames O'Brien, a yery popular writer on
the Daily Times, and in magazine literature—and
we believe he is, a gentleman from Ireland himself,
Burton has achieved great success in the « Upper
10 and Lower 20,” and in the burlesque of «Apollo
in New York,” both novelties being written for his
theatre. An interesting occurrence has taken place
here this month, in the re-appearance of Mr. Morris
Barnett, the author of the ‘Serious Family,” after
a twenty years’ abscence from America. Mr. Bur-
ton very justly gave Mr. Barnett ‘a benefit’ at his
house, and the old dramatic author has played with
success in his own piece of « Monsr. Jacques.”’
The « Minor” Theatres of the Bowery, National,
German Theatre, and American Museum, have
worked hard in their various departments to enter-
tain the great public during the month, but we re-
gret to hear that some of those houses haye reduced
the salaries to three-fourth’s. It would puzzle the
poor performers to make a * merry Christmas” out
of that state of finance.
Our “ Pacific” fellow citizens in San Francisco
have been enjoying a very varied bill of fare in the
theatrical line: Italian Opera, Irish Comedy, and
some of * Mr, Shakespeare.””. Anna Bishop, Barney
Williams and Lady, Mrs. Vorhees, sister to Mrs,
Sinclair, Caroline Chapman, and Julia Gould, have
been ‘the lions”? out there.
Christy’s Minstrels are doing a good trade in Sa-
cramento,
We have not space this month to particularize
the movements of the various Dramatic Stars and
Comments throughout the country engagements, but
we shall make a careful note of them during the
first month of 1855, and keep our numerous
readers well “posted” of all new discoveries in
that branch ofastronomy. . : .
Love Srraracems.—The Tribunal of Correctional
Police lately tried a man named Morand for robbery.
He had, it appeared, fallen in love with Mademoiselle
Celine; but she would not consent to look favora-
ble on his passion, unless ke would furnish a room
for her. he was without a cent in the world,
and had not even a place to lodge in himself, her
requirement was not easy to fulfil, However, he
set his wits to work, and hit upon a plan for get-
ting a supply of furniture. _He went to a respect-
able hotel, and demanded a room on the first floor,
because, he said, he had received an injury in the
foot which prevented him from going up higher.
His appearance did not seem particularly promising
to the concierge, and she called on him to pay in
advance, or at least, to leave something as a pledge.
«It often happens,”’ said she, ‘that people with-
out a sou in the world take a chamber, and go off
early next morning without paying; so leave your
boots, which appear to be good, and then I am sure
you cannot go away!’ :
Ife consented to leave his boots. In the dead of
the night, he, by means of cords secreted beneath
his blouse, let down into the street the mattress,
bed.and bedding, chairs, table, clock, and every
thing else the room contained; and they were all
carried off by an accomplice. The man then let
himself down in tke street But as it struck him
that it would be inconvenient to walk without his
boots, he resolved to get them. Knocking loudly
at the door, he cried: .
* Open—open! some man is letting down the
furniture from a window!” +.
“What window?” cried the cocierge, opening
the door. .
«On the first floor !””
«Oh, that is the fellow who came in last night
—I suspected him!’ cried the woman—and she
rushed up stairs. .
The man then quietly took his boots, which were
in the lodge, and walked off. The next morning
he wrote a flaming epistle to Mademoiselle Celine,
offering her tho furniture and his heart. But the
police got aclue to his whereabouts and arrested
him. The tribunal condemned him to a year’s im-
prisonment.—
Execrro-Tetecrapuic Procress.—The electric
telegraph between Bombay and Calcutta, via the
north-west provinces, is now nearly completed ;
the Lahore line is so altogether. Intelligence is now
transmitted in one day over the former of these
lines, the transit of the mail occupying ten days,
and despatches to London, including that intelli-
gence, via Trieste, will reach that in twenty-six
days; and, the wire laid down from the European
to the African shore, and so on to Alexandria and
Suez, and a fast boat placed on the Bombay line,
telegraphic intelligence will always be transmitted
betwixt India and England in twelve days, or in
half the time taken up by the mail at its fastest.
CcoHmESsS.
PROBLEM No. I.—By Herr Harrwitz.—White playing
first, mates in three moves,
Black.
yf hy, \ da thee
(ei oid aa
URL
WEG
SS
4
WS i
A
SS
Wr 'Y yy UY,
Oa Al
py, ft, & Ma
328 Das).
“i
GAME No. 1.—Played at the ‘Londoa Chess Club, 30th
Nev. 1849; Mr. Harrwirz giving P. and Move to Mr. &. WwW
EDLEY.
White—Mr. G. W. Medley. Black—Mr Harrwitz.
1, K. P. 2. 1. Q. Kt. to B 3.
2. Q. P. 2. z P. 2
3. P, takes P. 3. Kt. takes P.
. K. B. P. 2. 4. Q. Kt. to K. B. Qu
. K. B. to Q. B. 4. 5. K. Kt. to R. 3...
. Q. B. to K. 3. 6. Q. B. PLL
. K. Kt. to B. 3. 7. K. B. to K. 2
. Castles. 8. Q. Kt P. 2.
. K. B. to Q. Kt. 3. 9 Q. PL
. K. R. PL 1. (a) 10. Q. R. P. 2
-Q.R. P. 2, 1l. Q. Kt. P, 1.
Q. Kt. toQ. 2 12. Castles.
. K. Kt. P. 2 13. K. to 8q.
. K. Kt. P. 14, Kt. to K. Kt 6q.
. Ke to Kt. 2. 15. Q. to Q.
. K. R. to R. sq. 16.Q. Po k
~ K.P. 1 17. Q. B. PL
. Q. B. PL. 18. Kt. to Q. sq.
. Q. to K. Kt. sq. 19. Kt. to K. 3.
. Q. to K. R. 2. 20. Q. B. to R. 3. (b.)
+ Q. Kt. to K, B. sq. 21. B. to K. 7. (c.)
22. K. R. L » Kt. takes P. (ch,)
23. Q. B, takes Kt. 23, Qto K Kt 5 (ch.)
24. K. to B. 24. Q takes Kt (ch.)
25. K. to qs 25, R. takes B.
26. Kt to Q 2 (d.) 26. Q to K 6.
27. Q takes B, 27. Q to Kt 6 (ch.
28. K to Q sq. 28. P takes P (e,)
29. P takes 29. Q takes P.
Sok reek 30. Qt0oQ 5.
+» QtoK Kt 2¢f.) 31. R toK BT (g.)
. Q takes R. » Q takes Q.
3. R to K B sq. (A) 33. Q takes R's P.
. Kt to K. B. 3, 4, QtoQ Kt 5.
. BtoQ B 2, 35. B takes Kt P.
. Kt takes B. 6. Q to Q 5. (ch.)
. K to K 2, 37. Q takes P. (ch.)
|. Ktto K 4. 33. Kt to :
And Wuire surrenders,
NOTES TO GAME I.
has not a single piece in play.
(b) To prevent White's placing his Q R at Q sq.
(c) Threatning to win the adverse K Kt P.
(4) Good move by which he wins back the piece.
(e) Giving his opponent no breathing time.
‘0 prevent Black from pushing hi: . Pe .
in in case he would take he ing his QB. Pon the B.y
g) e winning move, since it i
wis 8. ig 7 @ it compels White to take it
(2) He would obviously have lost a piece had he taken
the Q, P. with his B., by Black playing us R. to Q sq : .
_Tuz EnGuisi anp THE Grorctans.—A Georgian
village and its inhabitants are pictured in a letter
by an Englishman, who says: «The houses are
composed of wattle-work or wood, and consist of }
three or four rooms on the ground floor, the princi- =
pal room being lined with sofas, upon which—
when seen by us unawares—the residents were re- =
clining. I never saw so many women to a house-
hold as in this place—about a half dozen to each— !
and. generally exceedingly pleasing and pretty: in
appearance, and graceful in their walk, At first
sight of us they generally adhered to the Turkish:
custom, and covering up their faces, ran away to |
an inner room, or closed their doors while we passed
by; but soon curiosity prevailed, the doors opened =
a little, and then whole figures came gradually to
view, until at length they came out ina body and
unyeiled, and boldly criticised the appearance of »
the « Ingleez:’ they were attired in colored or pure
white drapery, drawn into the waist, and setting off
their figures and fair complexions to advantage.
The men wear a calpa and robe supplied with car- !
tridges, like the Circassians, and are generally fine, !
intelligent looking fellows.”
my
(a) White's position is now very strong, whereas Black | ‘
vate